Featured Bars and Clubs

This immaculately-restored Germanic-style pub with its popular outdoor patio is a sort of trendy end-cap of the Warehouse district's nightlife, foregoing a TV-assault atmosphere of noise for a relatively low-key atmosphere.

Nestled in the basement of Coffman Union, the Whole has been a fixture on the U of M's campus since the hippie days. There's no such thing as an expensive show here -- typical cover charge is $5 or less.

Bars and Clubs Directory

http://www.cuzzys.com Situated in a spot of Washington Avenue that's evenly split between old-school warehouses and recently-built condos, Cuzzy's has a vintage dive-bar vibe with none of the negative connotations. Atmosphere is provided by a top 40-filled jukebox and quirky decor (doodled-on dollar bills stapled to the walls and ceiling), but it's Cuzzy's better-than-average bar food, including a steady rotation of specials and a robust breakfast menu, that give this bar its true appeal. Read more about Cuzzy's Bar and Grill >>

http://www.dakotacooks.com The standard line on the Dakota is that it has the best food of any jazz club in the country. That's got to be true, but doesn't really cover it. When there is no music playing at all, the Dakota is a very classy lunch or dinner spot. At lunch in the dining room you'll find the best salads in downtown, along with unexpected sandwiches. During dinner, the spacious, contemporary dining room's well-spaced tables are graced with a rotating list of all-American originals. When there is live music, in the two-level bar and concert area, the Dakota offers all kinds of edible treats to enhance your jazz-going experience--or quiet your teenager into appreciating the beauty before him: fun, forthright desserts, skinny fries, and killer burgers. Read more about Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant >>

http://www.dancingganesharestaurant.com The owners of Nala Pak take Indian food upscale, both in ambiance (it's in the former home of Willie's Wine Bar in downtown Minneapolis) and fare. The wide-reaching menu includes everything from snack foods found in India's streets to Continental-style fare served in its fancy hotels. It reaches across India's regions and beyond its borders, with vegetarian dosas from the south; tandoori, or clay-oven-cooked, meats from the north; and seafood from the western coast. There are dishes with Chinese, Afghan, and even Anglo influences, such as mulligatawny soup, the famous dish Indian cooks created to please the British Raj. Classics like biryani, paneer butter masala, and gobi Manchurian are delicious, but the upscale dishes and service aren't reliable enough to make Dancing Ganesha feel like it's breaking much new ground. Read more about Dancing Ganesha >>

http://www.darbysmpls.com Located on the ground floor of the Designer's Guild Building, Darby's took a modest yet friendly cafe with high-quality food and transformed it into a spacious, airy bar with a huge patio. A combination of fine eats -- classic Americana fare with some unique Cajun and Caribbean surprises -- and prime location makes it the ideal pre- or post-game stop for the Target Field crowd. Read more about Darby's Pub and Grill >>

http://www.dejavu.com This hot-pink Washington Avenue club is part of a national chain that set up shop in Minneapolis in the early '90s, and it's infamous for its slogan: "1000s of Beautiful Girls... and 3 Ugly Ones." It's also one of those strip clubs that doesn't serve alcohol, though the fully-nude nature of the dancers is considered enough of a main draw to compensate. Read more about Deja Vu Nightclub >>

http://www.thedepottavern.com First Avenue is still a place a teenager might feel reluctant to let her mother survey before dropping her off for a concert, but its bar-restaurant, the Depot, looks squeaky enough to belong in a suburban shopping mall. The space feels rather cavernous and kind of generic, save for the televisions that display live feeds from both of the stages, and the garage door opening onto the sidewalk, which draws in plenty of light, fresh air, and Twins fans in search of a pit stop. The Depot specializes in bar food with attitude such as thick-cut French fries that arrive with a trio of house-made dipping sauces and a bacon-wrapped hot dog served in a soft pretzel bun. Who thought you'd ever be able to order a Coconut Curry Chopped Salad at a club that's hosted Garbage and the Suicide Commandos? Read more about The Depot Tavern >>

Among Minneapolis' adult nightlife options, the Downtown Cabaret (formerly Schieks Palace Royale) is one of the most high-end experiences. Located in a former bank, Schieks' early '90s roots as a steakhouse are still in evidence, as patrons can take advantage of a generous food menu. The old castle-like building, marble walls and library-esque bar make Schieks feel more like a fancy restaurant than a gentlemen's club -- though the lack of poles for the dancers onstage is also a factor. And even if you're not interested in the champagne room, you still have your choice of champagne bottle service. Read more about Downtown Cabaret >>

http://www.dejavu.com Like a remnant of an old-school downtown Minneapolis -- back when Block E was Block E and strip clubs didn't have champagne rooms -- Dream Girls sits across from a light rail station next to a convenience store and looms over the street like a monolith of adult entertainment. Fully-nude dancers mean, per local statutes, that the bar can't serve alcohol, but Dream Girls happens to be adjacent to Sneaky Pete's Ultimate Fun Bar -- just get your drink on next door, and when the bar closes, you can cross over at no cover charge. Read more about Dream Girls >>

http://www.minneapoliseagles34.org Visualize a nice-sized ballroom, a smaller event and meeting space, a game room, and a full bar, all separated by your typical accordion-style wood doors. Imagine a stuffed eagle, pull tabs machine, 151-infused cherries at three for a buck, bands, bingo, karaoke, square dancing, a long bar lit by Tiffany-style lamps... and a notice board posting the most recent deaths, sicknesses and nursing home stays of members. Ponder a world without fraternal organizations (and the awesome bars they maintain) if the younger generation doesn't join up. Consider all this, and the next time you're in Seward visit Eagles Club #34 to enjoy affordable drinks, a full menu, and entertainment ranging from cover bands to karaoke. Read more about Eagles Club #34 >>

http://www.elisfoodandcocktails.com Eli"s is the primo neighborhood bar for downtown Minneapolis dwellers, the kind of place suitable for beer with a buddy or an intimate date. Housed in an old brick apartment building, the restaurant has a been-here-forever vibe. Nicely lit by wall sconces with walls painted ochre, vintage black-and-white portraits on the walls, and rich wood everywhere, the room has a chic urban feel. And the menu is divine, comfort food with a contemporary twist, with daily pasta specials and all entrées priced under $20. Try the black-and-blue burger made with smoked paprika, caramelized onions, and blue cheese. Bonus: The kitchen stays open till 1 a.m.--perfect for after a movie or show. Seasonal sidewalk seating. Read more about Eli's Food & Cocktails >>

http://www.finelinemusic.com Since 1987, this downtown Minneapolis destination has filled a role in making sure that First Avenue isn't the only music hotspot in the neighborhood. After surviving a 2003 fire, the club came back with upgraded audiovisuals and a new stage, and they've reliably continued to maintain a calendar filled with a broad range of international touring acts and local up-and-comers. Read more about Fine Line Music Cafe >>

http://www.first-avenue.com The club known worldwide thanks to 'Purple Rain' is a national treasure to Twin Cities music fans, who can catch anyone from local favorites to internationally-touring veterans at this former bus depot. A spacious dance floor and a balcony with great sightlines make even the most packed shows worthwhile experiences. Read more about First Avenue >>

http://www.gay90s.com Self-proclaimed as a gay & straight- friendly "beautiful people" bar, the Gay 90's has been a Minneapolis touchstone for decades. The drink specials will appeal to any penny-pincher, and the nightly drag shows are pure entertainment. The building itself is more than 90 years old and was initially bought piece by piece, creating the 6 unique bars of the Gay 90's. As you would imagine, each bar has its own theme and look, from tin ceilings and rock walls to painted murals on the walls left over from the days a Chinese restaurant took residence. Such an effort to make a large bar out of many businesses may go unnoticed by the crowd, but it's appreciated by the many generations that have frequented the Gay 90's. Read more about Gay 90's >>

http://www.glueks.com While it's a popular downtown hotspot for young patrons and post-game revelers, there's a bit of an old-school feel to Gluek's -- which makes sense, since their namesake brewery was one of the oldest in the state. While the brewery is long gone, the bar remains, and its unique atmosphere and offerings -- including a couple fine in-house beers and a weekly live band karaoke night -- sets it apart in a crowded entertainment district. Read more about Gluek's Restaurant & Bar >>

http://www.grumpys-bar.com Pool, karaoke, drinks -- sure, Grumpy's has the kind of necessities you might find at most bars, but they're all wrapped in a spectacular package: part punk dive, part martini-swank joint and all cool, this Washington Avenue fixture (with other locations in Northeast Minneapolis and Roseville) has one of the best karaoke nights in town and a history of fun events from comedy nights to meat raffles. Read more about Grumpy's Bar & Grill >>

http://www.hellskitcheninc.com On any given Sunday, as the faithful gather at their churches to sing, praise, and pray, another kind of worshiper lines up on the stairway to Hell. "Why people would wait two hours for brunch boggles my mind," Hell's Kitchen chef/co-owner Mitch Omer says of the lines at his restaurant. "I wouldn't wait two hours to meet the pope." Omer and his fellow chef-owner, Steve Meyer, moved Hell's Kitchen into a vast, subterranean lair that was formerly the home of Rossi's steak house and jazz club and it still can barely contain the crowds. With its pajama-clad brunch staff, and gothic decor, Hell's has more personality than most downtown eateries and it might be the only place in town whose caramel rolls are worth considering selling one's soul to the devil. The lemon ricotta hotcakes are as light as angel wings and the sausage bread is not-to-be-missed. For lunch or dinner, Hell's bison burgers and walleye BLTs are preferable to the more experimental items, but overall, it's a helluva place. Read more about Hell's Kitchen >>

The original location for Hubert's is parked across the street from the Metrodome it shares its Gubernatorial namesake with. And while recent years have seen its clientele shift to a largely Vikings-exclusive crowd since the Twins' move across Downtown, this sports bar still draws crowds and maintains the friendly, memorabilia-strewn atmosphere that's had fans streaming in since the early '80s. Read more about Hubert's Bar & Restaurant >>

http://www.hubertsmpls.com The Target Center location of Hubert's shares a name and a lineage with the sports bar that's been a Metrodome-vicinity fixture since 1984. But where the original location cozily serves the Vikings crowd these days, this Hubert's massive size more comfortably accommodates pre- and post-game visitors from the full-to-capacity Target Field crowd, as well as concert and Timberwolves attendees in the same building. If you can't get a ticket to the big game just a few dozen yards away, Hubert's gigantic sports memorabilia collection and TVs in every conceivable viewing area (yes, including the restrooms) should help make up for it. Read more about Hubert's Sports Bar & Grill >>

http://www.jetsetbar.com If you're in the mood for a little slice of Manhattan, this hip, minimalist bar aims to please. The layout is heavy on whitewashed walls, stainless steel and black leather furniture, accented by neon blue and purple lighting. Compared to the handful of other GLBT bars in town, Jetset features a more mature, impeccably dressed crowd, a solid selection of dance beats, and bartenders to pour you a martini that will make you forget you're in Minneapolis (maybe literally). This urbanite's dream is easy to miss; there's no sign hanging anywhere, and the entry is barely lit, save for a little jet plane lit up in the top corner of the window. But it's that stealthy approach that makes this venue feel ultra-exclusive. Read more about Jetset Bar >>

http://www.kierans.com After a 16-year run in their old location on 2nd Avenue, Kieran's relocation into Block E has proven to be a boon for the venerable downtown Minneapolis Irish pub. Live Celtic music, classic yet lively decor and a wide selection of affordable yet creative menu items make it a good destination for gameday, happy hour and dining-out crowds alike. Read more about Kieran's Irish Pub >>

http://www.leesliquorlounge.com This wood-paneled honky tonk bar has seen a bit of renovation and redecoration since Target Field sprung up a stone's throw away. But make no mistake: Lee's Liquor Lounge is still the same home to working-class country, roots and rock music it's been for years, and it's a great place to catch a show and tip back a beer or two without blowing your budget. Read more about Lee's Liquor Lounge >>